At the Forefront of the System’s Development: Leaders Honored for Strategic Thinking and Action

Mary Gail Biebel, PhD, and R. Wayne Diesel Recognized with Highest Honor

In the 2010s, the health care environment was in the midst of rapid transformation and hospitals throughout the state—and country—were facing significant challenges. Hospital leaders knew they had to adapt in order to continue serving patients and working to improve the health of our communities.

Mary Gail Biebel, PhD, and R. Wayne Diesel helped lay the groundwork to develop the Albany Med Health System, the largest, regionally governed, not-for-profit health system serving patients from the mid-Hudson Valley to the Canadian border.

“The strategic decisions and thoughtful leadership by Dr. Biebel and Wayne Diesel helped create a more efficient health care system with improved access to specialty care,” said Dennis P. McKenna, MD, president and CEO of the Albany Med Health System. “Their forward-thinking and guidance allowed us to meet the needs of our patients and communities and successfully transform into the System we see today.”

Known for her expertise in strategic planning and organizational development, Dr. Biebel was recruited to join the Columbia Memorial Hospital—now Columbia Memorial Health—board of directors in 2005. With a doctorate in psychology, she has vast experience helping organizations and their leaders plan for the future, transform work culture, and transition during times of dramatic change. Her leadership and skill set aligned perfectly a decade later when the board was faced with the challenge of keeping the hospital able to meet its mission.

The board assessed various ways to ensure the hospital could continue serving the community. Dr. Biebel, a staunch advocate for health care access in rural and underserved communities, focused on the bigger picture. She impressed on the board the art of thinking ahead, quoting Wayne Gretzky, “Skate to where the puck is going, not where it has been.”

Columbia Memorial needed to not only keep up with the health care landscape’s evolution in real time, but also prepare for what would be needed over the next ten years and beyond. Dr. Biebel knew a delicate but critically important decision needed to be made.

At the same time, R. Wayne Diesel was leading the Albany Medical Center board of directors. A known budget expert, he had held several high-level financial positions both in state government—including as the Budget Director for New York State—and in the private sector. Diesel’s financial acumen and direct manner suited the board well as it addressed unprecedented fiscal pressure and the urgent need to increase capacity for patients.

Albany Medical Center expanded into the surrounding neighborhood, spurring economic growth for the City of Albany while also adding hospital beds. However, as soon as those beds were available, they filled. More action needed to be taken, and it was time to look beyond our tri-city area to serve patients closer to their homes.

Careful conversations between both boards and the hospital leadership teams led to Columbia Memorial Health becoming the first affiliate with Albany Medical Center. This partnership blended the strengths of both institutions and brought a broad spectrum of specialty services to patients, particularly those in Columbia, Greene, and Dutchess counties.

This affiliation was the earliest indication of a System about to take shape, and this model has since been replicated with Glens Falls and Saratoga hospitals.

“I am honored to be part of the Albany Med Health System’s past and future,” said Dr. Biebel, who remains on the System board of directors. “I am proud of our ongoing efforts to bolster the medical care our communities depend on, support world-class research, and build the next generation of health care professionals.”

In recognition of their contributions to the System, both were honored with The Pillars Award, the System’s highest honor. This was the first time the designation was extended to someone for their efforts on behalf of a member facility. The awards were given out at a June 5 ceremony and dinner.

“I am inspired by the thought of a real System designed to improve health care delivery for the people of our region,” said Diesel at the event. He is now an emeritus director, and continues to serve on several committees. “As this effort continues to evolve, I applaud the efforts put forth by board members, management, clinicians, academicians, and staff of Columbia Memorial, Glens Falls, Saratoga, and Albany Medical Center hospitals, and the recognition that we accomplish more together than we can alone.”